BANNER ELK, N.C. – With memories of defeating top-seeded Lees-McRae College in the Conference Carolinas Tournament a season ago, the King University women's soccer team earned the same result on Tuesday in Banner Elk. King netted a pair of first half goals while Nicole Dagher third shutout of the game in King's 3-0 victory.

Lees-McRae (5-10-1, 4-5-1 CC) earned the first scoring chance of the game in the third minute, but Dagher came up with a save before King (9-7, 6-4 CC) brought play to the other end of the field. In the seventh minute, Hulda Sigurdardottir had a shot saved, and the Tornado had a corner kick, which Bailey Torrez sailed a header high to get the King offense going.

The Tornado continued the pressure in the 24th minute as they posted four shots, three on goal and two corner kicks in a two minute span. However, all three shots on frame were stopped by Bobcat goalkeeper Kaitlyn Briggs to keep the game scoreless.

King finally broke through in the 29th minute when Kendyl Baird found Rachel Thorpewho was on a run down the left side of the field. Thorpe took one touch and buried her shot past the Bobcat keeper to put King ahead. The Tornado continued to keep pressure on the Bobcats and eventually broke through again with one second left in the half. Miranda Smith took a corner kick with less than 10 seconds left in the frame, the ball went through the box where Sigurdardottir headed the ball off the post and into net to put King up 2-0 at the break.

The Tornado didn't let up in the second half as Thorpe netted her second of the game in the 60th minute. She took a pass from Paula Doran and flipped a header over the keeper that deflected off the crossbar and in.

After that, the Bobcats moved play to the other end of the field, but Dagher came up big for King, making a pair of saves in the 70th minute to keep the shutout intact. Lees-McRae registered a few more chances, but couldn't put another shot on target as Dagher posted the shutout to give King the 3-0 victory.

Corner kicks were even on the night, and King posted 17 shots while holding the Bobcats to eight shots. Nine of King's 17 shots were on target while Dagher turned away all four shots that were on goal from Lees-McRae.

The win moves King into fifth place in the Conference Carolinas standings, just ahead of Saturday's opponent Barton College. With a win and Belmont Abbey College loss on Friday, the Tornado will host the first round of the Conference Carolinas Tournament next week. King will face on Barton on Saturday at 1:00 p.m., at Parks Field. It is also Senior Day on Saturday as the Tornado will honor their five seniors.

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